Wire-stretcher



(No Model.)

G. B. STERN. WIRE STRETOHER.

No. 499,945. Patented June 20, 1993.

WITNESSES INVENTOH ATTORNEYS.

m: mums PEYERS co. momurua. WASHINGTON. o. c.

NrTED STATES PATENT ()FFIGE.

GEORGE E. STEEN, OF IONIA, KANSAS.

WlRE-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 499,945, dated June 20, 1893.

Application filed April 26, 1893. Serial No. 471,901. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE B. S'iEEN, of

Tonia, in the county of Jewell and State of Kansas, have invented a new and Improved Wire-Stretcher, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description.

My invention relates to improvements in wire stretchers such as are used for stretching fence wires; and theobject of my invention is to produce an extremely cheap and simple device, which may be quickly and easily applied to an ordinary fence wire and post, which may be easily operated, which may be constructed at a very small cost and will not readily wearout,and which will stretch a wire up to the post to which the stretcher is attached so that the wire may be fastened to said post.

To this end my invention consists of certain features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,

in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

' Figure 1 is a perspective view of the wire stretcher as applied to a Wire and a post. Fig. 2is a perspective view of the stretcher when detached; and Fig. 3 is a detail longitudinal section of the end of the stretcher which receives the Wire.

The body of the stretcher consists of a tube 10 and it has at one end a handle 11, this being held in an eye 12 on the body, although it may be secured in any convenient way. The body at its opposite end is slotted on opposite sides, as shown at 13, the slots being relatively Wide at their mouths and converging inward, so that the wire when forced into them will be securely bound in place; and the slotted end of the body is reinforced by a sleeve 14 which gives it the necessary strength, this sleeve being thickened at its inner end, as shown at 15, and the sleeve is fastened securely to the body. On the body 10, adjacent to the sleeve 14, is pivoted a clevis 17 which has flanges 18 at its inner end, which are provided with spurs 20 adapted to be forced into a post to assist in holding the stretcher in place. On the outer end of the clevis is pivoted a pawl 21 which is adapted to engage a ratchet wheel 16 which is fastened to the body 10 between the flanges 18, and which prevents the body from turning back under the strain of a tightened wire.

The clevis 17 is also provided on opposite sides and near its outer end, with spurs 22 which are adapted to be embedded in a post and thus hold the clevis and the connected body of the stretcher in position. The body 10 is also provided with a loose collar 23 to which is secured a chain 24 terminating in a hook 25.

The body 10 is placed in a horizontal position across a post, the wire 26 to be stretched is inserted in the slot 13 of the stretcher, the clevis 17 is placed on the upper side of the body and against the post and the body is turned so as to wind up and tighten the wire. As the wire is stretched, the spurs 20 and 22 are forced into the post so as to support the stretcher, and the chain 24 is carried behind the post and hooked around the wire to support the stretcher in a horizontal position. When the wire is suificiently tigl1t,is is fastened to the post in the usual way.

Having thus described my invention, I I

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. A wire stretcher, comprising an elongated body slotted at one end and provided with a handle at the other, a clevis journaled on the body, and a ratchet connection between the clevis and the body, substantially as described.

2. A wire stretcher, comprising an elongated hollow body slotted at one end and provided with a handle at the other, a clevis journaled loosely on the body, a ratchet connection between the clevis and the body, and a chain pivoted to the body, substantially as described.

3. A wire stretcher, comprising an elongated hollow body slotted at one end and provided with a handle at the other, a slotted re-inforcing sleeve on the slotted end of the body, aclevis journaled loosely on the body, arachet wheel secured to the body between the members of the clevis, and a pawl car- ICO ried by the clevis and adapted to engage the the elevis and the body, substantially as deracchzt wheel, substantially as described. scribed.

4. wire stretcher, comprising an elongated body slotted at one end and provided GEORGE STEEN 5 with a, handle at the other, a clevis journaled Witnesses:

loosely on the body and having spurs to en- HERMAN COLSON, let a post, and a ratchet connection between ERNEST COLsON. 

